Following the discovery of cocaine residues in a routine test administered to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency on the day of his loss to Britain’s Fabio Wardley in October, former heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker may face a two-year ban.
Parker, however, has denied using any illegal substances and is “confident” that he will be exonerated following a drug test failure.
The test took place the day before the British heavyweight defeated Fabio Wardley in their bout last month.
“Before my recent fight I took a voluntary test and have now been informed that it returned an adverse result. This came as a real surprise to me,” Parker said in a statement on Instagram.
“I did not take any prohibited substance, I do not use performance enhancing drugs and do not support their use. I am cooperating fully with the process now under way, and I am confident the investigation will clear my name.
“Thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support. It means a great deal to me and my family. When the investigation is complete, I will speak openly and answer questions.”
In an interview with Sky Sports, the British Boxing Board of Control [BBBofC] has told Sky Sports it is “investigating” the matter.
Although the 33-year-old Parker lost his title to Anthony Joshua in 2018, he entered his bout with Wardley in what was perhaps his greatest shape to date.
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Prior to Wardley, Parker had won his last six fights, including wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang, and had taken home the WBO Interim title after suffering a crushing defeat to Joe Joyce in 2022.
In February, he was scheduled to take on then-IBF champion Daniel Dubois; however, Dubois became ill a few days prior to the scheduled bout.
By taking on Wardley, Parker risked losing his job as the WBO’s mandatory opponent of undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk.
The revelation of his failed drug test raises serious concerns about his future in the sport, and it was a risk that backfired.
